An explosion occurred at the Rotterdam port on August 13 around 11:30 a.m. local time (09:30 GMT), killing one person and injuring several others, authorities said [1, 2, 3, 4]. The blast happened at or near petroleum product storage tanks during maintenance work operated by Gunvor Energy [1, 2, 3, 4]. A Gunvor Energy spokesperson said the company was cooperating with local authorities after reporting the incident [1].
Rotterdam police confirmed the explosion took place on Moezelweg road and said the crime scene was cordoned off while the cause was under investigation [1]. A police spokesperson added there was no immediate sign of sabotage, but all possible scenarios remained under review [3].
The explosion occurred at Europe’s largest port, which includes oil refineries, liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, and petrochemical facilities [1, 2, 3, 4]. A Rotterdam Port spokesperson said the LNG terminals were not affected by the blast and stated, “There was no connection between the blast and the power outage” that had occurred earlier that morning [3].
Earlier on August 13, multiple power outages were reported at Rotterdam port. Local authorities and police are investigating whether these outages are linked to the explosion [1, 2]. However, Rotterdam Port officials have denied any connection between the power disruptions and the blast [3].
The power outages also led ExxonMobil to shut all units at its 191,000 barrels per day refinery in Rotterdam the same day, though the company did not confirm any link to the explosion [3]. Shell said its operations at the port were not affected by the blast [3].
Investigators continue to examine the cause of the explosion amid ongoing maintenance activities at the Gunvor-operated petroleum storage facility. The scene remains secure as emergency services and officials carry out their inquiries [1, 2, 3, 4].
